Chapter 799 There is no worst, only worse
In Felix's eyes, George's personality is split and difficult to summarize in one sentence.
This is normal. The image of most politicians is mixed, half angel and half devil.
During the World War, George, who turned the tide on the Eastern Front, was undoubtedly an angel in the eyes of the British.
Now George has completely transformed into a demon.
In order to avoid causing greater chaos, the British media did not report news about the Battle of Parth, but the destruction of the Parth Air Force still sounded the alarm for Stanley Baldwin.
Before Sioux's independence, there were only less than 5,000 National Guardsmen, which were insufficient for defense and completely unable to take the initiative to attack.
In Baldwin's view, 50,000 British troops were enough to deal with any possible unexpected situation, so Baldwin took the risk.
After destroying the Pas Air Force, the Theo Air Force began to launch air attacks on military camps, artillery positions, warehouses, and headquarters in Pas City. The British army suffered heavy losses. Hubert Gough and Fordy Samson simultaneously attacked Telegrams were sent from London hoping for more reinforcements.
"Considering that Theo has the support of the Grand Duchy of Yuriev behind him, we have to send at least 50 aviation squadrons to be able to control the skies of Pas."
Air Force Secretary Hugh Trenchart is very pessimistic. The gap between the British Air Force and the Russian Air Force is all-round.
The British Air Force began in 1911, and the Royal Air Force was officially established in 1918.
During the World War, the United Kingdom produced and purchased approximately 30,000 aircraft. After the war, the United Kingdom dismantled a large number of aircraft and retained only 8 fighter wings and 970 fighter aircraft.
Trenchart requested 50 squadrons, approximately 750 fighter aircraft.
It should be noted that since the end of the World War, the United Kingdom has not carried out technical upgrades on fighter jets, nor has it purchased new fighter jets. Therefore, the level of British fighter jets is still at the level of 10 years ago.
Unlike the UK, Russian aviation companies still invest heavily in research and development of new technologies even without government funding.
Although the Russian military has not purchased new fighter jets, it has been continuously upgrading the technology of fighter jets.
"Sending 70% of fighter jets to Australia, how can London's skies be defended?"
Admiralty David Beatty, who immediately understood Trenchart's purpose, objected.
To deploy the local air force to Australia, in order to protect the security of the country, the UK must purchase new fighter jets.
The current annual appropriation is only this small. If the Air Force takes another bite, the interests of the Navy will be affected.
"Theo's army is advancing towards Parth, and we need to strengthen Parth's defenses."
War Secretary Ian Hamilton also said that he was very dissatisfied with the current situation of the Army.
No matter how much money the Navy and Air Force invest, they will ultimately have to rely on the Army to solve the problem.
After the end of the World War, Britain abolished almost all of its army. Ian Hamilton was now a mere commander and could only mobilize colonial troops.
In the past, the British Army also had the Canadian Legion and the Anzac Corps to support its appearance.
Now Canada has embraced the United States, and Australia has directly rebelled. If Hamilton does not want to rely on the Indian Army, he can only go to South Africa to ask for help from Young Smuts.
During the World War, Young Smuts served as the British Air Force Secretary and Chairman of the Wartime Supplies Priority Distribution Committee. He was a core member of the British decision-making team.
After the world war, Young Smuts returned to South Africa and served as Prime Minister of South Africa.
"Can't 50,000 people defeat 5,000 people?"
"Army——hehe——"
Hamilton was unanimously opposed by David Beatty and Trenchart.
"Since the end of the world war, the Army has never purchased even a new armored fighting vehicle or artillery. If there is another world war, we will not even have enough gunners. How can we expect those who are heartbroken Veterans to defend the British Empire?”
Hamilton was furious. If the British government had used the military expenditures for building new battleships to pay retirement pensions to veterans, it would not be so embarrassed now.
"That's your problem if you don't have enough gunners. Why isn't the Navy short of sailors?"
David Beatty was dismissive.
"You still have the nerve to say——"
Hamilton was furious.
"Enough!"
Baldwin looked at the sneering Churchill and stood up.
The war is approaching. As the supreme commander of the British army, what he wants is not to unite and cooperate with the outside world, but to blame each other and shirk responsibility.
Baldwin was shocked and angry. This was a sign of national destruction.
"No matter what, Paz must withstand the first attack of Theo's army."
Baldwin also knew that the combat effectiveness of the British and Indian troops was not good, so there was no general Liao Hua in Sichuan to serve as the vanguard.
"Without the air force's reconnaissance, we don't even know the size and equipment of Theo's army. If Theo's army is equipped with armored fighting vehicles, how can we fight this battle?"
Hamilton also participated in the World War and knew the power of armored fighting vehicles.
London is not ignorant of the equipment of the Theo army. Long before the independence of Theo, the Theo government had obtained no less than 100 armored fighting vehicles from the Grand Duchy of Yuriev.
What Hamilton couldn't accept was that the armored fighting vehicles obtained by Theo's government had thicker armor and more ferocious firepower than British armored fighting vehicles. On the battlefield, the British army could not stop the impact of armored fighting vehicles at all.
"Would the Army be unable to fight without armored fighting vehicles?"
David Beatty opposed Hamilton's weaponism.
"As long as you dig a trench wide enough in the ground, you can stop the attack of armored fighting vehicles."
Trenchart's plan can indeed solve part of the problem.
"Look at how the Russian army broke through the anti-tank trenches during the Rovno exercise - even if it is not equipped with armored tanks, is the anti-tank artillery expensive?" Hamilton was full of grief and indignation, and it was difficult for a clever woman to make a meal without rice.
Baldwin looked at Churchill again.
"Our budget for this year is almost exhausted. Regardless of whether we increase military spending, we must increase the budget."
Churchill spread his hands. June is not over yet, so you guys will have to decide what to do.
When the budget was passed last year, Theo was not yet independent, so this part was not included.
“Since we need to increase the budget, why not solve all these problems at once?”
Hamilton was so whimsical that everyone looked at him strangely.
Any problem that can be solved with money is not a problem.
The biggest problem of the British army is not military expenditure, but the internal contradictions of the military.
While London was undergoing emergency consultations, Theo's army officially launched an attack on Pas.
Hamilton's fears were confirmed. Theo's army not only dispatched armored fighting vehicles, but also used rocket launchers.
Since rocket launchers showed their power in the world war, all countries have listed rocket launchers as a key object for research.
The problem comes again.
British research on rocket launchers is limited to laboratories and does not equip troops on a large scale.
The rocket launcher is indeed easy to use, has strong survivability and firepower, and is loved by everyone.
The problem is that rocket launchers consume a lot of money. The cost of rocket launchers is about four times higher than that of artillery shells. Most countries cannot afford them.
The UK can't afford it either.
The sun never sets in the UK, unlike Spain, which is a thing of yesterday.
If Spain wants to equip rocket launchers, it can just buy a few from Russia to show off.
If the British army wants equipment, it is definitely unrealistic to rely solely on procurement. It must manufacture it itself to reduce costs as much as possible.
The British government's finances have always been to demolish the east wall to pay for the west wall, and will not invest in new factories.
British arms dealers will not invest in building factories without orders. Selling arms is not charity.
Even if the British government places an order now, considering Britain's efficiency, the military will have to wait at least two years to equip rocket launchers.
The Grand Duchy of Yuriev has a large supply of rocket launchers and can not only provide loans, but also artillery. At the employment agency in Coconut City, a large number of experienced World War veterans are queuing up for employment.
It was Andy Boswell who commanded Theo's army on the front line, and his partner was Dimirov.
Dimirov had more experience in the use of armored forces and rocket launchers than Boswell, so although Boswell was nominally the main force, the attack plan was formulated by Dimirov.
Dimirov's plan was complex and placed strict requirements on cooperation between the air force, armored forces, and artillery.
This made Boswell doubt whether the cooperation between the various arms could meet Dimirov's requirements.
"This combat mode has been verified in the Rivne exercise. We only need to form a breakthrough at a certain point to defeat the entire Indian defense line."
Dimirov is very confident. He participated in last year's Rivno exercise and was personally received by George for his outstanding performance.
"If the Indians had not collapsed, we would have been surrounded."
Boswell frowned. The biggest hidden danger of Theo's army was the lack of troops.
"I hope the Indians will not collapse so early. It is much easier to defeat the Indians in an organized manner than to capture prisoners in the mountains and plains."
Dimirov's words made Boswell laugh.
Boswell also fought with British and Indian troops during the World War.
How to say it.
Boswell believed that even if Indian dogs and cattle were organized, they would not perform worse than the British and Indian troops.
Don't listen to what Indians usually say, Britain is number one and I am number two.
On the battlefield, as long as the gun is fired, the Indian soldiers will perform well if they don't disperse in a hurry.
Therefore, until the end of the war, the Indian army could only undertake logistical tasks, such as moving things and digging trenches.
The facts were more extreme than Dimirov's judgment. When the armored tanks of Theo's army rushed to the Indian army's position, the Indian army did not escape, but stayed on the spot and surrendered with hands raised, showing no will to resist.
Boswell was curious.
"The commander ordered us to hold our position, and we must carry out the commander's order——"
The answer given by an Indian prisoner made Boswell feel extremely complicated.
Did you hold your ground?
I held on and really didn’t escape.
As for the effect——
It can only be said that there is no worst, only worse.
(End of chapter)